Back brace for machine tool rams



Feb. Z, 1932. R. T HAzELToN BACK BRACE FOR MACHINE TOOL RAMS Filed Nov.-29, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet QJ www MANN 0 Z.. 4 @i Z IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Fa. 2, QSZ. R, T, HAZELTON ,843,362

BACK BACE FOR MACHINE TOOL RAMS Filed Nov. 29, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TTORNEY.

Feb. 2, 1932. R. T HAZELTON 1,843,362

BACK BRACE FOR MACHINE TOOL RAMS Filed'Nov; 29, 1929 :ssheets-shee' 5 o e e 9 @if F j (E o v m @o w wk' i O 9 a@ o@ 3@ o@ E 3 00 Q @9A/17655@ H I N VEN TOR.

Patented Feb., 2, 1932 PATENT BERT T. HZELTON, 0F GINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE CINCINNATI SHAPER COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION' OF OHIO BACK-BRACE FOB. MACHINE TOOL S Application filed November 29, 1929. Serial No. 410,436.

My invention relates to back braces forthe rams in machine tools such as the rams in press brakes .and shears.

In the aplplication of great force to the rams in suc machines as shears and brakes, there is a great force developed tending to cause deections of the ram bodies out of a true straight line position. rlhis tendency is resisted by back braces which are designed 1o to possess greatest strength against deflection in the direction of lateral bending of the rams.

The rams themselves also become permanently bent out of a straight line due to various causes, and the operation of a shears, for example with a ram which is bent even very slightl is not satisfactory.

It is the 0 ject of my invention to provide a back brace for rams which, instead of being welded to the rams or ixedly secured thereto,

is held in place by means of suitable attaching means interspaced along the connecting zone, which attaching means are adjustable so that any slight permanent bends in the rams can be straightened out.

I have illustrated two forms of my back brace, one as applied to a shears and one as applied to a press brake. These devices have the essential features of my device in common, and I prefer the arrangement shown in each instance for the type of ma chine with which its use is illustrated. The arrangements, however, are to a degree in'- terchangeable, and the description of the two uses is intended to fully develop at least two of the many possible structures which will serve the purpose and accomplish the objects of my invention. l In the drawings:- 4o Figure 1 is a perspective view of a press brake.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the ranl thereof.

Figures 3 and 4 are rear and side elevations of the said ram.

Figure 5 is a perspective of a shears. Figure 6 is a section of the shears ram on the line 6-6 of Figure 8. Fi re 7 is a section of the brake ram on 5c the lme 7-7 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a rear elevation of the shears ram without a plate.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the shears ram.

In Figure 1 is shown a press brake in which the side housings are shown at 1, the bed at 2, the Operating devices for the ram at 3, 3, and the ram itself at 4. The ram in this case is formed with a central portion 4a of considerable depth for stiffness, which has lateral proJections 4b, to. which projections the ram operating devices are suitably secured.

The back brace for the ram is arranged to lie across the back of the ram, generally paralleling the working edge of the tool bar thereon, and traversing at least the distance of the deeper portion of the ram and lying near the lower end of the ram.

In this case the back brace is formed of a metal beam la of H-section, and the mode of mounting it upon the back of the ram is best shown in Figure 7.` rlhe bolts 5, 5 extend through the base of the H-section beam and thread into the back of the ram. The set screws 6, 6 extend through the` base of the beam and abut against the back of the ram. There are a series of these bolts and set screw arrangements across the ram, there being three shown in the drawings herewith, although more could be employed.

With the back brace bolted against the back of the ram, the stiffening feature of the back brace is 'fully effective. If the ram becomes distorted, the operator, by loosening some of the set screws and bolts and tighten, ing others, can bend the ram back into shape, while maintaining the stiifening feature as effectively as before.

Referring next to the shears, I have shown a device having side housing 10, 10, a bed 11, and a ram 12. The ram is in this case actuated by pitmen 13, and moves up and down along vertical faces of the housings.

The back plate 14 in this instance is formed of a wide plate of metal of considerable depth projecting in a direction at right angles to the ram so as to resist lateral deiection of the ram. The plate parallels the shear blade on the ram, and hence is at a small 10 slant to the horizontal. it lies at the lower of the ram in order to be most effective.

The method of attaching the back plate in this instance, is different in structure but like in principle to that shown with relation to the press brake. The back plate is provid ed with a series or hand holes or apertures l5. Boltsl are set into these apertures so as to project through the edge othe backing plate and into the ram itself, `Iwhich has holes loo tapped to receive them. Nuts D set over the bolts which bear against the baci plate, and nuts l? which bear against the :tace 0i the ram. or the nuts 1'? can be ned and the device new shown as a bolt head Milo may be used as a nut.

This construction is such that when mounted and in place the plate serves as a suitable back brace9 While the distortions which take place in the ram and would other- Wise result in improper registration o'l the shear blades, can be eliminated by adj/ustment of the bolted connection;

Thus any bolt can be :treed for adjustment and screwed further in or backed :further out oi the ram; whereupon the two nuts are tightened down to retain the bolts in their new position. When the nut i7 is fixed and, for example7 Welded 'to the ram., the same adjustment can be made by bacirino ont or advancing' the nuts i8 and 16?). rlhls will place some or the bolts under tension and some nnder compression., Whereas in the instance of the back brace for `the brake ram, there are bolts under tension and under compression in each setJ of mounting bolts and screws. llhe resulting action is the same, however. and results in providing; a back brace and at the same time permits or" forcing the ram to assume a proper shape at its Working end Without in anj)7 wise destroying the backing up action. l

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by lietters Patent, is

l. ln combination with a ram, a back brace therefor, and means for securin the brace to the ram, independently adjustable to space the brace and rain di'derently at difierent points along the brace.

2.. ln combination with a ram, a bach brace therefor, bolts located at a series oi" points for securing the brace to the ram, and means for locking the bolted connection between ram and brace with the boltsin inde-k pendent adjusted relation to said ram and brace.

3. ln combination with a ram, a brace plate, a series of bolts located in the brace plate and threaded into the ram, for securing the ram and brace together, and nuts on the bolts engaging. the brace for holding the ram and brace in adjusted relation.

d. ln combination with a ram, a brace, bolts passing through one of said members and tapped into the other7 there being se ries or said bolts along the brace, and nnte for "reclining` the bolts in adjusted position with relation to the said i 5. ln combination with a ram., a brace, bolts passing through one or said members and tapped into the other9 there being a sen ries of said bolts along the brace, and nuts for locking the bolts in adjusted position with relation to the said parte, said brace haringn hand holes therein9 and the bolts having their heads available 'for adjustment Within the hand holes.

6. in a back brace 'for a ram, the combi-t nation with the ram oit a brace extending along the ram, a series oli means for securing the brace to the ram and spacing it there from9 and means :tor independently adjusting the spacing feature o said securing means.

i. in back brace for a ram, the combination with the ram ont a brace secured to and extending along the ram, a series of spacing means extending between the brace and the rain and spacing the ram from the brace, said spacing,Y means being independently ad justable to Vary the spacing at a plurality of points, for the purpose described.

RBEF T. HZELTUN. 

